George Genung, who coached Amphitheater High School's boys basketball team for more than 30 years and was the UA's basketball team captain in 1943 and 1944, died Tuesday of pneumonia. He was 83.
The basketball gymnasium at Amphi is named after Genung, who was inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Fame and the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame in the 1990s.
In failing health recently, Genung has been living in an assisted-care facility. His wife of 58 years, Alice "Lyle" Morrison Genung, died in July.
"George left his mark as a kind person; he was a man who knew how to treat kids and how to properly prepare them for life," said John Tissaw, former state-championship basketball coach at Canyon del Oro, who spent 10 seasons coaching the Amphi junior varsity. "He had a good quality of life."
The son of a prospector who lived in Prescott and Vail, Genung fought in Gen. George Patton's Third Army in World War II. He delighted in telling of his meeting with the Russian Army at the Elbe River as the two armies advanced on Berlin in 1945.
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Genung returned from Germany to complete his education at the UA and marry Lyle. He was Amphi's first basketball coach, in 1947, and by 1949 had the Panthers in the state championship game.
He also played in the 1940 high school state championship game for Tucson High School.
"His teams were not always winning league titles, but I know of no one I respect more as a man than Coach Genung," said Dan Huff, a Salpointe Catholic teacher who played on Genung's Amphi teams in the 1960s and later coached CDO to a girls state championship.
"He was probably the most principled man I ever met. In an age where coaches would practically sell their soul for another win, he never wavered from doing the right thing."
While attending Tucson High, Genung was a standout in baseball, basketball and as a punter in football. He earned seven varsity letters at the UA and played semipro softball after leaving college. He is a member of the Arizona fastpitch softball hall of fame.
He is survived by three children, G. Farrell Genung, Herbert Dan Genung and Sandra Kathleen Saavedra; and six grandchildren.
Cards and notes to his family can be sent to the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame. P.O. Box 30444, Tucson AZ 85751.
The family is tentatively planning a memorial service in late April. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Amphitheater High School athletic department, 125 W. Yavapai, Tucson AZ 85705.
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